


Empire State of Mind

by stephrc79



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-23
Updated: 2014-01-23
Packaged: 2018-01-09 19:09:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1149737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephrc79/pseuds/stephrc79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bond learns exactly where Q's fear of flying comes from. And it's not because of heights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Empire State of Mind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rerumfragmenta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rerumfragmenta/gifts).



> Ficlet in response to this beautiful piece of [artwork](http://rerumfragmenta.tumblr.com/post/74291308956/for-stephrc79-3) by Rerumfragmenta
> 
> Thanks for the arts, love!

“So, it's not heights then.”

“No.”

“It's just flying.”

“Precisely.”

“What bothers you so much about it?”

Q huffed and turned away from the vast skyline of New York City to eyeball his lover. "Physics, Bond. _Physics_.”

Bond laughed. “ _Physics?_ ” He stared incredulously at Q. “What, that flying defies it? You _know_ that it doesn’t.”

“Well, _of course_ it doesn't,” Q answered derisively. “It _abuses_ it. And we all know that if you abuse something long enough, you'll eventually break it.”

Bond blinked, at a complete loss for a response. It was probably the most ludicrous thing he'd ever heard Q say. He almost said that, too, until the look of consternation on Q’s face pulled him up short.

With a sigh, he reached out and grabbed hold of Q’s wrist, pulling the man close. “You made the flight over here just fine,” he commented quietly. Q had needed a sedative, but it had been a mild one, and they’d made it across the Atlantic without incident. “Are you going to be able to make it back?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine.” Q looked down; a hint of embarrassment flickered across his face. “You have to understand, every piece of equipment that crosses my path, I can give a thorough inspection of. But I can’t do that with a plane. I’m pretty sure the CAA would frown upon my snooping around their property.”

“We could fly private on the way back,” Bond offered. He wrapped his arms around Q’s waist, holding him tight. “With a proper mechanic, I’m sure we could get you a little bit of ‘snooping’ time.” He gave Q a small half-smile.

“No, it’s all right.” Q waved a hand dismissively. “It’s fine; statistically I _know_ it’s fine. And besides” — he looked up to smile at Bond — “if I go down, at least I’ll be going down with you.”

Bond smiled and bit back a huff of laughter. He leaned into whisper in Q’s ear. “You know, I can think of quite a few things that involve you, me, and _going down_.”

Q snorted with laughter. “Dirty man,” he murmured in Bond’s ear. “That was a horrid line, by the way. I expect better from you.”

“You’re setting your standards too high, then.”

“Most likely.”

Bond turned his head to lightly kiss Q’s temple. “Well, at least heights aren’t a problem. I’ve wanted to bring you up here since we made these plans.” He looked over Q’s shoulder out onto one of his favorite cities in the world — that wasn’t London, of course.

Q twisted in his arms to gaze out on the skyline, as well. “I must say, the sight is gorgeous from up here. I like it almost as much as the view from Big Ben.”

Bond glanced at Q out of the corner of his eye. “I thought that was off limits to the public.”

“Not anymore,” Q said, shaking his head. “And even if it was, would that stop you?” A small, mischievous smile played at the corner of his mouth.

“‘Quartermaster and field agent for MI6 caught breaking into the Elizabeth Tower,’” Bond muttered the potential headline thoughtfully. He turned to smile back at Q. “Sounds like we have plans when we get home.”

“Indeed.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come play with me on tumblr at [stephrc79](http://www.stephrc79.tumblr.com/).
> 
> I promise I don't bite. Well, not unless you ask nicely.


End file.
